


Last Wishes

by ghostlyhamburger



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe, Engagement, F/F, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Happy Ending, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Minor Character Death, Podfic Welcome, based on a Choices book
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:26:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 18,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22069999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostlyhamburger/pseuds/ghostlyhamburger
Summary: Master Fu has passed on, and has left behind some unusual last requests for his former students. AU based on the Choices book 'Rules of Engagement'.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Aurore Beauréal/Chloé Bourgeois, Chloé Bourgeois/Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Chloé Bourgeois/Sabrina Raincomprix, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi, Max Kanté/Lê Chiến Kim
Comments: 91
Kudos: 190





	1. Heirs

**Author's Note:**

> Choices is an app-based story game that offers choose your own adventure style books. I highly recommend it, and I hope that you enjoy this inspired story!

Marinette Dupain-Cheng never thought she’d be spending her whole summer on a luxury cruise line, feeling the Mediterranean breeze on her face while she sat on a sunny private balcony, sketching designs in her notebook. But, life had a funny way of turning out.

The trip was fully paid for, all expenses included, but it came with a tragic catch—her old teacher and mentor, Master Fu, had passed away. Fu was childless, so he’d spent quite a bit of time tutoring children in his neighborhood, and Marinette had been one of the ones to grow close to him. She’d kept in touch with him as she grew up, leaning on him for advice and support as she worked to start her own fashion line.

Fu had wanted Marinette, along with a few of his other students who’d kept in touch, to go on this cruise as a memorial to him. He’d loved to travel, but hadn’t managed to do much in his later years. He asked the four students he selected to live out one of his remaining dreams for him.

An alarm on Marinette’s phone went off, letting her know it was time to leave her room and go meet the other students along with Damocles, the executor of Fu’s will. She made sure her bags were unpacked and stowed away before she left the room.

She didn’t see anyone she knew on the deck yet, so she decided to stop at the bar for a moment. The bartender was an attractive man, close to her age, black hair tipped with blue dye, piercings in his ears, tattoos on his arms. He gave Marinette a warm smile when he saw her.

“Hey,” he said, his voice as warm as the sea breeze around them. “You look like you could use a drink.”

“I’d love one,” she replied, smiling at him as she took a seat.

“What’s your poison?”

She shrugged. “What do you recommend?”

The bartender stared at her for a moment, his eyes seeming to bore right into her soul. He broke into a grin and started moving, pouring liquors and shaking some concoction together. “No allergies, right?” he asked.

“I’m good,” she replied, watching his hands deftly move as they worked.

He set a colorful drink in front of her. “What’s your name?”

“Marinette.”

“One Marinette special.” He placed a tiny paper umbrella in the drink. “On the house.”

“Thanks,” she replied, wrapping her lips around the straw and taking a taste. “What’s your name, by the way?”

He grinned at her. “I’m Luka. Looking forward to seeing more of you this summer.”

“MARINETTE!” a voice screeched from across the deck. She turned to see a blonde girl stalking her way past the lounge chairs, her eyes locked on Marinette.

“Woah, looks like she’s got it out for you,” Luka said as he watched the approaching girl.

Marinette shook her head. “That’s just Chloe. She always looks like that.”

Chloe was another one of Master Fu’s students. She’d always had a tough exterior, but underneath the surface layer of bitch she was a true friend to Marinette. Not that she’d ever admit it.

“Where _is_ everyone?” Chloe complained as she sat beside Marinette at the bar. “I’m on time, why aren’t they?”

“Chloe,” Marinette said, “Chill. Have a drink.”

The blonde huffed and turned towards Luka. “Cosmo. Now.”

“Chloe…”

She gritted her teeth and rephrased, “Can I get a cosmo please?”

“You got it, friend of Marinette’s,” Luka said, turning away to mix up the drink.

Chloe watched him for a moment, and then leaned close to Marinette and murmured, “I think he likes you.”

“We just met.”

“I say go for it,” she replied, shrugging. “Definitely not my type, but he’s kind of cute.”

“Chloe,” Marinette said, rubbing her temples. “Literally _just met_.”

“Like that’s ever stopped me. You need to be more _open_ , Dupain-Cheng.”

Luka returned and set a drink in front of Chloe. “So, what brings you two to the Jewel of the Sea?”

“A mentor of ours passed away,” Marinette replied. “He wanted us to go on the cruise to finish his bucket list for him.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, but I hope you can have some fun this summer.”

Her cheeks turned pink as she took another sip of her drink, but before she could reply, Chloe tapped her arm and pointed across the deck.

The executor of Fu’s will, Rene Damocles, was looking around, a briefcase clutched in his hand. Marinette sighed when she saw him.

“I guess we’ve got to deal with that now,” she muttered. “You ready, Chloe?”

The blonde downed her drink in a single, somewhat impressive gulp. “Let’s do this shit.”

**

Soon, Chloe and Marinette were sitting at a metal and glass table across from Damocles. The other three of Fu’s students hadn’t shown up yet, but Damocles insisted they start anyways.

“As I’m sure you two are aware,” he said, pulling paperwork from his briefcase, “Tsewang Fu was in possession of quite a large fortune, which he has chosen to leave, in its entirety, to you and the others who will be on this cruise.”

Marinette and Chloe exchanged a wide-eyed look. Fu lived in an apartment above a massage parlor—they’d had no clue he was rich.

“He left behind letters for each of you with specific instructions on what you must do to receive your share,” Damocles continued. “If you complete your task by the end of the summer, you will receive two million euros. If you do not, your share of the inheritance will be divided equally among the others.”

“Two million?” Marinette asked faintly, unsure if she’d heard right. That kind of money would be what she needed to get her own fashion line launched, secure her name in the world of design.

Damocles slid two sealed envelopes across the table towards them. “Your tasks are in here. I will be checking in with you periodically over the summer to ensure you’re keeping up with them. Good luck.”

The girls exchanged a look, and Marinette slowly opened her envelope.

_My dear Marinette,_

_I’m sorry to have to leave you. I know I will see you in another life, qiān jīn, but until then, I hope this lifetime will be long and fulfilling._

_I have very few regrets as I face the end of my time on this earth. One of them is that I never married my one true love. I want you to avoid this same fate._

_By the end of the summer, I want you to be married. Stop putting it off and embrace life with your beloved. I know you’ve already designed your qipao!_

_Your honorary yé yé,_

_Fu_

Marinette folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope, her eyes filling with tears. Fu had been as close as family to her, and reading his words made her miss him so much more.

But, she was also upset about the contents of the letter—Fu hadn’t known that she’d dumped her long term boyfriend a month back. How in the world was she supposed to get married in just a few months?

“Ugh, great,” Chloe groaned, breaking Marinette out of her thoughts. “I’m supposed to get a job on the ship and keep it all summer. I thought this was supposed to be a vacation!”

Marinette smiled slightly. “At least yours is _possible_. I’m supposed to get married! How in the world am I going to do that without—”

“Felix!” Chloe gasped, looking somewhere over Marinette’s shoulder.

She furrowed her brow. “Yeah, but—”

“Turn _around_ , Dupain-Cheng!”

Marinette twisted in her seat, and her jaw dropped when she saw Felix, her ex, striding towards her, a model-perfect smile on his face.

“What are _you_ doing here?” she asked, standing up to face him.

“I was invited,” he replied. “Seems your mentor wants us to be married soon. So, what do you think about a wedding in Greece?”

“What the _hell_? Felix, we’re not getting married. We’re not even dating anymore!”

He gave her a cold smile, the kind that sent chills down her back and before, would have her apologizing in an instant. “You need me, Marinette. I know you need the money, and I know you can’t get it without marrying me. It’s simple, really.”

“Get away from me,” she muttered, stepping to the side to walk past him. “I’d rather be penniless and homeless than be with _you_.”

He moved into her path, suddenly getting down on one knee. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” he announced, raising his voice to get the attention of bystanders. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my bride and make all of our dreams come true?”

She narrowed her eyes at him and hissed, “ _Absolutely not_.”

He stood up and asked in a low voice, “You’re really going to turn me down? When everyone is watching you, hoping for you to say yes?”

“You know what I’d _love_ to do with everyone watching?” she asked. She gently placed her hands on Felix’s chest, stepping closer to him with a coy smile.

And then in one swift motion, she shoved him into the pool on the deck, sending him int the deep end with a loud _splash!_

“You bitch!” he shouted when he came up from the water. “My phone is in my pocket!”

Marinette could hear Chloe snorting in laughter. She simply turned and walked away, determined to head back to her room and deal with all her emotions in private before figuring out her next steps.


	2. Mixer

Later that afternoon, Marinette got a call on her room’s phone, telling her that her friends were asking for her at another suite.

She headed to the room number she was given to find two of Master Fu’s other students already there. Max, a sort of shy person who never really opened up to anyone outside of their immediate group, opened the door for Marinette and revealed Nino already in the room. Nino and Marinette had been close in school, and stayed good friends afterwards as he went on to study the arts, eventually opening up his own record label.

“Hey,” Max said, letting Marinette into the room. “We just got back from meeting with the lawyer.”

“Oh,” she replied. “So, what do you two have to do?”

Max and Nino exchanged a glance, both grimacing, before Nino said, “We’re keeping it secret for now. Mine’s…kind of embarrassing.”

“Fair enough,” Marinette replied, sitting down on the bed. “I’m guessing yours are at least possible, though?”

“Yeah,” Max replied. “Yours isn’t?”

She shook her head and groaned. “I’m supposed to get _married_ by the end of the summer! Fu thought I was still dating Felix, so he _invited_ him onto the stupid boat!”

“Oh, Mari, that sucks,” Nino said as he sat down next to her. “Did you have to see him?”

“I pushed him into the pool,” she said, grumbling as her friends laughed.

“ _Good_ ,” Max said. “He one hundred percent deserved that.”

“It’s too bad I can’t just marry one of you guys,” Marinette said, sighing as she fell back against the bed. “I mean, if I’ve gotta marry for money, might as well be one of my best friends, right?”

“The thought is appreciated, but Nino seems to be quite happy with his mysterious girlfriend, and I have no interest in entering any sort of relationship,” Max said. “However, we _can_ help you with your predicament. We will be your wingmen!”

“Yeah,” Nino said, slinging his arm over her shoulders. “I saw there’s a speed dating event in one of the lounges tonight, why don’t you go to that?”

“I guess it can’t hurt,” Marinette mumbled.

**

A few hours later, Marinette and her friends found themselves in front of the cruise ship’s boutique.

“I can’t do this,” Marinette muttered, eyeing a dress in the store window. “Just because I love fashion doesn’t mean I can get all dolled up just to attract a guy!”

“Sure you can,” Chloe urged her. “I do it all the time!”

“This dress,” Max pointed to the one in the window, “is likely to make you fifty percent more conventionally attractive to straight men.”

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Who says I’m looking for a man? I just need to get married.”

“Max is weird,” Chloe said, “but in this case he’s right. That dress is smoking hot. Go try it on.”

As Marinette stepped towards the door of the boutique, it opened suddenly as another woman walked out. She glanced at the four gathered there, and her face immediately fell into a grimace. “Of _course_ he’d invite all of _you_.”

“ _Lila_ ,” Nino said, addressing Master Fu’s other student. “I’m surprised they let a snake onto the boat.”

“They let _you_ on, so there’s clearly no pest control here,” she snapped. “Did he give you some asinine task to complete, too?”

Max nodded. “We’re helping Marinette now. She needs to—”

“Max!” Chloe hissed, slapping her hand over his mouth. “Lila is the _enemy_ , don’t let her know!”

Marinette rolled her eyes, then turned to face her former classmate. “I have to get married by the end of the summer, that’s all.”

“Well, congratulations,” Lila said, her voice dripping with syrupy sarcasm. “I hope you find a nice gold digger to settle down with.”

Marinette just shook her head and brushed past Lila, entering the boutique.

**

That evening, Marinette walked to the ship’s lounge to try speed dating. She was dressed in the outfit she’d bought earlier, a short red halter dress with a mesh panel over her stomach, showing off her toned abs. Her hair was curled into a bun, save for a few dark pieces purposely framing her face. Her makeup was on point, thanks to Chloe, soft eyeshadow and a warm red lip.

She sat down at her assigned table, carefully eyeing the crowd of single men who were lined up by the bar. Soon, a bell rang, and the men dispersed to the tables.

Her first date was a fairly nice guy, a redhead named Nathaniel. But they fell into an uncomfortable silence after introducing themselves, and she was relieved when the bell rang again.

The second and third dates were all right, but there was no spark there, nothing that made her want to talk to them more.

Then her fourth date, a self-declared artist named Theo, was _interesting_ , to say the least. He spent the whole time talking about himself, only breaking his spiel once to ask, “So, do you put out on the first date?”

“I— _what_?” Marinette sputtered, caught very off guard. “I don’t—I just met you!”

“Yeah, but speed dating’s just real life Tinder,” he said with a grin. “And I’m DTF.”

Her nose wrinkled in disgust. “Then consider this me swiping left, jerk.”

He gave her a grin, leaning uncomfortably close to her. “Our time isn’t up yet, babe. Give me a chance, you’ll be surprised.”

“She said _no_ ,” a voice suddenly came from beside the table. Marinette glanced over to see the woman at the next table glaring at Theo, ignoring her own date. “Don’t be a creep.”

“She your girlfriend or something?” Theo asked Marinette. “’Cause that’d be hot.”

The woman stood suddenly. “If _this_ is the caliber of men at this thing, I’m done. You, come on, get a drink with me.”

Marinette stood and followed the woman over to the bar, leaving a whining Theo behind. The woman perched on a stool and turned to face Marinette, a smile playing on her lips. “Speed dating is heteronormative bullshit anyways, isn’t it?”

Marinette was momentarily dumbstruck—the woman was _beautiful_ , east Asian with short dark hair and warm brown eyes. Her demeanor was cold, the way she held herself hardly inviting, but her smile was friendly, drawing Marinette in, leading her to wonder what secrets might be behind that smile.

“Y-yeah,” Marinette said. “But—why’d you come if you’re not a fan?”

The woman shrugged. “I don’t have a lot of time to have a personal life, and I thought for once this kind of event _might_ be set up for those of us not interested in men. Seems I was mistaken.” She eyed Marinette, that smile still on her face, and added, “I’m Kagami, by the way.”

“Marinette,” she replied. “And you’re right. This is some straight people nonsense.”

Kagami raised an eyebrow. “So you’re…?”

“Bi,” she said. “Men are great, but—so are women.”

“Well,” Kagami said, “can this woman buy you a drink?”

As the speed dating played out disastrously behind them, Kagami and Marinette sat and talked. She learned Kagami was the COO of a luxury vehicle company in Japan, and while she wanted a relaxing vacation, she’d be hopping on and off the ship over the summer as business came up. Marinette admitted the whole story of Master Fu’s will and her task.

“So basically, I need to get married before the summer’s over, which is why I’m at speed dating,” she said, glancing at the mix of single and desperate people with a sigh. “I’m open to dating new people, you know, but the marriage thing is just a huge cloud over my head. How am I supposed to meet anyone when I have to immediately pressure them on marriage?”

Kagami moved her hand to cover Marinette’s, smiling at her as she said, “Maybe you should focus instead on finding someone you like. If there’s a spark there, perhaps a proposal will come in time. A few months _can_ be enough time to fall in love.”

Marinette glanced at Kagami’s hand, warm on top of hers, and her breath caught in her throat. “This is nice,” she murmured, glancing at the other woman. “Spending this time with you. Would you maybe want to do it again?”

“Why wait?” Kagami asked. “I _have_ been meaning to check out the fondue bar on this ship. It will likely be quieter than here, at least.”

Marinette grinned, her cheeks blushing pink. “I—yeah. Let’s go.”

**

Soon, Marinette and Kagami were sitting across from each other in a booth, a pot of chocolate fondue between them.

“This is _so_ good,” Marinette said, letting out an almost sinful moan as she bit into a chocolate covered strawberry. “I didn’t even know this was on the ship!”

Kagami smiled. “Have you tried the pineapple yet?”

Marinette shook her head, and Kagami skewered a piece of the fruit, dipping it in the chocolate before holding it out to her.

She bit into the fruit, closing her eyes in bliss as she did. A drop of the juice ran out of the corner of her mouth, and Kagami’s thumb was suddenly there, wiping it away.

Marinette’s eyes shot open, and she met Kagami’s gaze. The two women hesitated, but then both leaned forward at the same time, their lips meeting over the table. Kagami’s hand pressed softly to Marinette’s cheek as they kissed, and stayed warm against her skin once they broke apart.

“I can’t promise you marriage,” Kagami said softly, slowly moving her hand away. “I—there are expectations of me, and—I don’t want to drag you into that. But, if you’ll let me, I’d love to see you again.”

“I’d like that,” she replied, her lips still feeling the ghost of the kiss. “You said it yourself—I should find someone I like, and see what happens.”

When they left the restaurant, not long later, Kagami walked Marinette back to her room. In the hallway, they exchanged another searing kiss, Marinette leaning back against her room’s door as Kagami’s hands curled against her waist.

“I’ll see you later,” Marinette murmured before opening the door.

“I look forward to it.”


	3. Date with Destiny

The cruise ship docked in Venice, Italy, and tourists filed off the boat to explore the Italian city.

Marinette found herself following the crowd. Maybe she wouldn’t end up married at the end of the summer, but that didn’t mean she had to waste the whole vacation. She’d always wanted to see the Venetian gondolas, so she was hoping for a spot where she could relax and sketch.

“Marinette!” a voice called to her as she stepped off the ship and looked around the port. She peered past the crowd to see Kagami sitting outside a small ice cream stand, waving at her.

“Hey!” she said, eagerly approaching the other woman. “Fancy running into you here.”

“I’m glad to see you,” Kagami replied with a warm smile. “Have you ever been to Italy before?”

Marinette shook her head. “I know a little Italian, but I’ve never been. Always wanted to visit.”

“I’ve only been a few times for business, but I never got the chance to _enjoy_ it,” Kagami said. “Sit down, try some gelato.”

Marinette sat, giving Kagami a shy smile.

“Shut your eyes and open your mouth,” the woman directed.

She did as she was told, and was soon treated to a mouthful of cold orangey gelato. The flavor was sharply sour at first, but soon faded to an exquisite sweetness. “Wow,” she said, letting her eyes open. “That’s _really_ good.”

“I was thinking of doing my own tasting tour of Venice, finding all the places the guidebooks talk about that I haven’t been able to try,” Kagami said. “Would you like to come with me?”

“That sounds like a lot of fun. And I’d like to spend some more time with you.”

“Good,” Kagami said with a smile, carefully wiping her lips with a napkin before balling it up and placing it in the paper cup. She stood to throw the trash away, but paused by Marinette, her smile faltering. “Hold on, you’ve got some…here…”

She brushed her thumb against the corner of Marinette’s mouth, wiping away a drop of gelato. She lowered her hand, shyly smiling.

Marinette grabbed her hand before she could drop it completely, then pulled Kagami to herself as she stood, meeting her lips in a sweet orange-flavored kiss.

Kagami’s lips curled into a smile as they parted. “Are you ready to go?” she murmured.

Marinette grinned and nodded. “I’ll follow your lead.”

**

As the two walked around the city, trying delicious food, they talked, getting to know one another better.

“So what’s your Hogwarts house?” Marinette asked over a slice of pizza.

“Hogwarts?” Kagami asked, puzzled. “Oh, that Harry Potter thing? I don’t know, I never read the books.”

“What about the movies?”

She just shrugged.

“Okay, well, you should give them a shot sometime—but find a way not to pay for them, the author turned out to be a piece of shit.” Marinette took a bite of her pizza. “Anyways, I’m definitely Hufflepuff, and I think you’d be Ravenclaw.”

“Why is that?”

Marinette glanced at her and smiled. “Because you’re really smart, and sharp as hell. Makes being around you a lot of fun.”

**

As they enjoyed a dish of pasta at an outdoor café, Kagami asked, “What’s your ideal date?”

“Honestly, it can’t get much better than this,” Marinette replied, gesturing around them. “Beautiful girl, beautiful city, _amazing_ food…but staying in and watching Netflix while cuddling is also a fun time, if it’s with the right person.”

“I like the sound of that,” Kagami said. “I take any moment I can to relax. I’d be happy to share moments like that with someone like you.”

Marinette blushed, ducking her head down and focusing on her food.

**

The night ended with the two women sharing a bottle of wine while relaxing on a gondola.

“Okay,” Marinette said, slightly tipsy, “if you had to describe yourself in bed in one word, what would it be?”

“Confident,” Kagami replied. “I like taking charge.”

Marinette bit her lip as her face flushed. She scooted a little closer to Kagami on the seat of the boat.

“What about you?”

Marinette’s shy expression quickly turned to a sly grin. She leaned close and murmured in a low voice, so the gondolier couldn’t hear, “Later.”

“Is that a promise?”

“If you keep making tonight amazing, yes.”

**

When the two returned to the ship, Kagami invited Marinette to her room. They rushed straight there, only stopping in the halls for occasional kisses against lips, cheeks, necks, soft panting between them as their fingers teased what was to come.

Marinette never returned to her own room that night.

**

While Marinette was off gallivanting around Venice and having a great time, Chloe was stuck on the ship, the first day of her new job.

She didn’t understand why Master Fu thought she needed to learn ‘responsibility’. She was plenty responsible! She hosted parties all the time and took a lot of care into making sure all of her guests were happy. Wasn’t that what a responsible person did?

But, Fu had pulled some strings to get her a job in the ship’s high class restaurant, so she felt obligated to at least give it a try. She did _not_ like the uniform at all, but she held her head high as she walked to the start of her first shift, boxy white blouse that washed out her complexion and all.

“Excuse me, miss,” a man called to her when she entered the restaurant. She glanced over him and smiled to herself—he was _cute_ , slim figure with red hair and a nice smile. “Do you work here?”

“I’m new,” she replied, twirling a strand of hair around her finger as she walked towards him. “Don’t judge me by the uniform—I’m so much hotter without it.”

His smile fell, and he raised an eyebrow. “I see,” he said flatly.

“Tell you what,” Chloe said, leaning towards him. “Let me bring you a drink on the house, and maybe later you can see what I look like _out_ of this uniform.”

The man sighed, raising his hand to his forehead, pressing against his temples. “You’re Chloe, right?” he asked. “I’m Nathaniel. Your boss.”

Her eyes widened and she backed away. _Fuck_.


	4. Dirty Work

“I’m sorry!” Chloe exclaimed, unable to meet her new boss’s gaze. She just _had_ to go and fuck it up already, didn’t she? “I—I was going to pay for the drink, I swear…”

“Maybe you should know who your customers are before you flirt with them,” Nathaniel said, raising an eyebrow. “Now, go to the kitchen. You’re on dishwashing duty.”

Chloe wrinkled her nose in disgust, glancing down at her hands, the freshly done manicure she had. “Do I have to?”

“If you want to keep this job, yes,” Nathaniel said, pointing to the kitchen. “Go.”

She bit back a sigh and squared her shoulders before walking into the kitchen. Okay, dishes. She could do this.

She managed to wash about 3 plates before there was a buzz in the kitchen. She left the dishwashing station behind to hear what the gossip was all about.

“So we have no party coordinator?” Nathaniel was asking one of the servers. “No backup?”

The server, a shy looking auburn haired girl, shook her head. “The coordinator is on leave, and her replacement fell sick. And the Roth’s deck party starts in half an hour!”

Nathaniel sighed, rubbing his temples, before raising his voice and calling to the kitchen, “Can anyone here step in for the Roth’s party?”

“Oh!” Chloe cried, stepping forward. “I can! I _love_ throwing parties, and I’m really good at it!” Plus, it’d get her away from disgusting dishes.

“Great,” he said. “Go with Sabrina here to get set up.”

**

“So, you like parties?” Sabrina asked, the girl trying to make conversation as she headed up to the deck with Chloe.

“Yeah,” Chloe replied distantly. “I throw parties pretty much all the time. Then I had to get a stupid _job_ …at least this is kind of my thing. So what kind of party are we doing?”

“Um,” Sabrina replied, checking a clipboard she carried. “25st birthday party for Xavier-Yves Roth.”

“Great!” Chloe said. “Birthdays are easy. Just make the guest of honor super happy and do whatever they want.”

They arrived at the deck, the area looking like any normal day, with a couple of pink balloons haphazardly tied to a chair. Chloe just sighed, before standing up straight and ordering Sabrina on what to do.

“More balloons,” she said. “Not pink. White and purple. Cover up those chairs with some white fabric. Get a DJ out here, clear the center tables for a dance floor, and get some neon lighting.”

Sabrina nodded, frantically writing on her clipboard. “I can go get the supplies if you want to start clearing the tables.”

Chloe tried not to grimace as she realized that unlike her usual party planning adventures, she was going to have to put in some of the labor for this one. Still, she nodded and kept her head held high as she started pushing tables aside.

**

The deck looked great when Chloe and Sabrina finished. Neon lights flashed across the dance floor, while the DJ they “borrowed” from the downstairs lounge played music at a volume that was audible but not deafening.

The party guests started filing in, and it was immediately clear who the guest of honor was. Xavier-Yves, or XY as he demanded to be called, immediately pushed aside one of his other guests to make his way to a table by the DJ’s booth, and started requesting his _own_ music to be played.

The DJ apparently had none of his homemade mixes on the playlist, so XY started complaining _loudly_ to anyone nearby.

“This party _sucks_!” he cried. “Where’s the hot girls? Where’s the booze? Where’s the good music?”

“The alcohol is literally one table over, you prick,” Chloe muttered under her breath, watching the party.

Sabrina gave her a sideways glance. “What are you going to do?”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “He wants hot girls? Fine.” She untucked her blouse, quickly unbuttoning it halfway and tying the sides together just below her breasts. She took her hair out of her ponytail and shook her head slightly, making it fall around her shoulders in a perfect wave. For the final touch, she plastered a fake smile on her face before heading over to XY.

“Hey!” she said, adding as much pep into her voice as she could stand. “You know what would _totally_ liven up the party? Shots!”

“Heck yeah, babe!” XY replied, openly ogling her. “Maybe some body shots with you?”

“I’ll go talk to the bartender,” she said, spinning on her heel and pointedly avoiding his question.

Soon, alcohol was flowing more freely, and XY had found some other girl for his body shots. Chloe went to stand and observe by Sabrina again.

“Nice,” Sabrina commented. “You really know how to turn their mood around.”

“Duh,” Chloe replied. “I’m great at parties. Now as long as that XY douche doesn’t try to sleep with me, I say job well done.”

**

A few hours later, the party ended, and Chloe was stuck with Sabrina on cleaning duty.

“How can a handful of drunk people make _such_ a mess?” she complained as she swept up a pile of confetti that had mysteriously appeared at one point.

“Well, they’re drunk,” Sabrina replied.

Chloe just rolled her eyes. After a moment more of sweeping, she asked in a softer voice, “How do you handle it? Working _every_ day?”

“Some of us don’t have a choice,” she replied, calmly wiping down the tables. “I couldn’t stay at home, and I couldn’t afford an actual vacation, so this was the next best choice.”

“But—it’s so hard!”

“You’ll get used to it,” she said, smiling slightly. “I had a really hard time the first week, too.”

Chloe just groaned, moving to dump the dustpan into a trash can.

“Plus, there’s some perks that you wouldn’t really know about,” Sabrina added with a sly grin, heading over to the bar. “Like the fact that there’s _always_ an extra bottle allotted for people like us who have to deal with crazy guests.”

She reached behind the bar and pulled out a bottle of white wine and two glasses. She quickly poured the wine and offered one of the glasses to Chloe.

“Thank _god_ ,” Chloe said, accepting the glass with a grin. “This makes everything better.”

“Oh, good,” Sabrina said, smiling widely. “I was worried that you’d be too concerned about being a model employee…”

“Yeah, right,” Chloe replied. “I might need this job, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to have fun. And when a pretty girl is offering me drinks, how am I going to say no?”

Sabrina blushed, and downed her glass of wine in a single gulp. “I—I think you’re pretty, too.”

Chloe just grinned. Maybe this working thing wouldn’t be _so_ bad.

**

Marinette headed back to her room after spending the night with Kagami. On her way, she passed by Nino’s room—and could hear a commotion from within.

She raised her hand and tentatively knocked on the door. Nino opened it after a moment, and let her in with a relieved expression on his face.

“Can you get her to leave?” he asked in a quiet voice.

Marinette glanced across the room, frowning when she saw Lila there, her arms crossed defiantly over her chest.

“It’s _so_ not a big deal,” Lila said. “I just wanted to know what his task was.”

“And I told you, I’m not telling you anything,” Nino retorted.

Marinette sighed. “Lila, he doesn’t have to tell you if he doesn’t want to. Don’t you have something else to do, anyways?”

She huffed. “Rude. But I can see when I’m not wanted.” She stalked towards the door, slamming it behind her as she left.

“Thanks, dude,” Nino said, sitting on the bed with a sigh. “It doesn’t really matter if she knows what I gotta do anyways—it’s completely impossible either way.”

“Want to talk about it?” Marinette asked.

“I’m supposed to take my girlfriend out on weekly dates all summer,” he replied.

“That’s not so bad,” she said. “I know Alya’s not on the boat, but we can figure out a way past that.”

Nino groaned. “That’s the problem! Alya’s not actually my girlfriend!”

“Wait, what?”


	5. Dancing Shoes

“So, Alya’s not your girlfriend,” Marinette said slowly, sitting down on the edge of the bed in Nino’s room. “But—I met her! You brought her to Fu’s birthday party!”

Nino brought his hands to his face, pushing his glasses up his forehead as he pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes. “She’s my coworker. I felt weird about not bringing a date, and we’d had to work late right before I left, so…yeah.”

“So, call her,” Marinette said, as if it was a simple answer. “See if she’ll come on the cruise. Master Fu probably did reserve a room for her.”

“He did,” Nino confirmed, “Damocles said so. But how do I even have that conversation?”

“Maybe something along the lines of ‘Hey, wanna help me get a bunch of money’? Give her some for her time.”

“Marinette!” Nino said, looking scandalized. “I’m not _paying_ her to be my girlfriend!”

“Not like that!” she replied, frantically waving her hands in front of her. “I mean, just give her something if she’s going to cover for you.”

“Oh,” Nino said, his shoulders slumping. “It’s not like she’ll agree anyways, so…”

Marinette just rolled her eyes and held out one hand. “Give me your phone.”

“What? No!”

“Just give it! You’re not going to do anything, and if she says no, you’re no worse off.”

Nino hesitated, but pulled his phone from his pocket. He turned it on, and stared at the screen for a moment—long enough for Marinette to dart over and grab it from him.

“Marinette!”

“I’m calling her!” She scrolled through his contacts until she found Alya’s name, and then put the call on speaker, letting the ringing sound hang in the air.

“Hello?”

“Hi, is this Alya?” Marinette asked. “I’m a friend of Nino’s.”

“Yes?”

“Would you like to join Nino on a cruise, all expenses paid, and get some money?”

“Wait, who are you?”

“Just be his girlfriend!” Marinette yelped before Nino wrestled the phone away from her. He took it off speaker before saying anything.

“Alya, hey, sorry about my friend, she’s an idiot.”

Marinette stuck out her tongue.

On the other end of the line, Alya just laughed. “Okay then, but what’s that she was saying about a cruise?”

“So, remember the memorial cruise I told you I was going on?” Nino asked. “Turns out, my mentor booked an extra room for my girlfriend…and he thought that was you.”

“Oh!” Alya said in surprise. “I mean, yeah, I’ll go. Free vacation.”

“Cool,” he said, a relieved smile crossing his face. “I’ll text you the details.” He hung up the phone and turned to see Marinette glaring at him. “What?”

“You didn’t tell her about pretending to be your girlfriend!”

“I will!” he cried, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “Just…once she’s here.”

“You better.”

**

Max would have preferred being _anywhere_ else on the boat besides a dance class. Even being detained in the brig would be more bearable than this.

His letter from Master Fu asked him to do a series of small tasks, little things Fu never crossed off his bucket list. Item number one was a dance class. It had been approximately five minutes, thirty-two seconds since the start of the class, and it was _hell._

“Okay everyone, partner up!” Claude, the obnoxiously chipper man leading the class said, clapping his hands together. “We’re going to get started on couples’ steps!”

Max immediately stepped back, his back against the rear wall of the room, as everyone else partnered up. Maybe if he didn’t find a partner, he could leave early.

Unfortunately for him, he was suddenly approached by a tall man, looking every bit the image of a jock—a tuft of bleached hair on his head, broad shoulders, sweatshirt with an unknown team logo on it. “Hey!” the man said, his enthusiasm just barely matching their instructor’s. “You all alone too?”

“Yes, I am,” Max replied. “I assume you want to be partners?”

“Heck yeah! My name’s Kim,” the man said, holding out his hand.

“Max.” He didn’t take Kim’s hand. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather be paired with a woman?”

Kim just shrugged. “Nah, bro, dancing is just dancing, I don’t care who I’m with. Wait, do you?”

“Not particularly.”

“Then let’s dance!” He grabbed Max’s hand and pulled him away from the wall, wrapping his arms around him in the position Claude directed.

Max was a terrible dancer. He stepped on Kim’s feet no fewer than three times, and stumbled into his chest no fewer than five. But each time Kim just laughed it off and gently nudged Max into the right position.

Soon, Max found himself actually smiling, enjoying the dance class. The pure joy from his partner was just that infectious.

Towards the end of the class, a man in uniform with a very nice captain’s hat walked in, nodding as he observed everyone dancing. “Nice work,” he said to Claude.

“Hey,” Kim murmured to Max. “I bet that’s the captain of the ship.”

“Most likely, yes,” Max agreed.

“I’m gonna steal his hat.”

“ _What?!_ ”

“Ask him to dance!” Kim urged. “He’ll have to take off his hat for that, and then I’ll grab it and run!”

“You’re ridiculous,” Max replied. “He’d be much more likely to dance with one of the female students, and there is no guarantee he’d even remove the hat!”

“Oh, yeah, good point,” Kim replied distantly, his eyes on the captain. After a moment, he released Max before racing to the captain and grabbing the hat right off his head, running out of the room.

“What the?” the captain cried, turning to see where Kim had gone. “Someone catch that man!”

“Class dismissed!” Claude yelled as he ran out the door.

Max was the next one out the door, before he knew what he was doing. Claude had immediately turned to the right, so Max turned to the left, quickly walking down the hallway. He turned a corner and soon found Kim, crouched against the wall, still holding the hat, laughing hysterically.

“What is _wrong_ with you?” Max asked. “You can’t just _steal_ a captain’s hat!”

“Yeah, but I did,” Kim replied. He set the hat on Max’s head. “There. Looks good on you.”

Max quickly took it off, holding the hat away from him like it was burning to his touch. “Okay, let’s get out of here before Claude realizes he went the wrong way and finds you!”

“Oh, yeah, good idea!” Kim replied, taking off running. He left behind both the hat and Max, who had to run faster than he ever had before to keep up with the taller man.

“In there!” Max called, pointing to an open door.

Kim raced inside, closely followed by Max. They found themselves in a bustling kitchen, people shouting and hot ovens everywhere.

“What are _you_ doing here?” a voice suddenly came from nearby. Max turned to find Chloe standing there, looking perplexed.

“No time to explain!” Kim cried before dashing _through_ the kitchen, Max doing all he could just to keep up.

Kim ran through the restaurant, out the door, and into the on-ship casino. He pulled Max into a small supply closet at the end of a line of slot machines.

“I think we lost them,” he said, barely out of breath and cracking a smile, while Max was panting, doubled over.

“Now what?” Max asked, shoving the hat back at Kim.

“I dunno,” Kim replied. “I didn’t think that far ahead.”

Max took a better look at Kim, now that he had a moment to think. The two were almost chest-to-chest in the small closet—or really, face-to-chest as Kim towered over him. He craned his head up to see Kim grinning as he placed the hat on his head.

“You should keep it,” Max said. “It looks good on you.”

Kim beamed. “Yeah. I think I will.”


	6. One Day in Athens

The ship’s next planned stop was in the Greek city of Athens. Marinette was excited to spend time wandering the ancient city, finding new inspiration.

But something _much_ less inspiring struck before she even got off the ship. She had to wait in a corridor to leave, hundreds of people wanting to pass through the narrow doors leading from the large boat.

As people jostled around in the small space, forming some semblance of a line, someone called out, “Marinette!”

She turned and immediately grimaced when she saw Felix pushing his way through the crowd. “What do you want?”

“To marry you, obviously,” he said with a grin. “Come on, we had some good times together, didn’t we?”

“We did,” Marinette admitted with a sigh, “until you started trying to alienate me from all my friends and control what I wear and where I go. That’s not okay, you asshole.”

Felix managed to make his way to her side, and grabbed her hand to gently kiss her fingertips. She yanked her hand out of his grasp. “Come on, Mari. You know I was just trying to do what’s best for you.”

“Yeah, well, _you_ don’t get to decide that!” She jabbed her finger accusingly against his chest. “You don’t know me better than I know myself. _You’re_ the one who ruined our relationship by being selfish.”

He gave her a soft smile, one that had made her melt in the past. Now, it just made her blood run cold. “Give me another chance, babe. I promise I’ll change.”

“Yeah right,” she said through gritted teeth. “You just want to marry me for money. Too bad for you I’d rather give up _everything_ than spend another _second_ around you!”

The line surged forward, and soon Marinette managed to step off the boat, she walked away from Felix as fast as possible. She didn’t make it more than a few steps before she tripped over someone’s bag, toppling face-first towards the ground.

She shut her eyes, bracing for an impact, but it never came. Instead, she felt arms wrapping around her waist, jerking her to a stop before she hit the ground.

Marinette opened her eyes, and felt her heart skip a beat as she saw who caught her, a tall, handsome man with blond hair. With the sun illuminating him from behind, he genuinely seemed to have a halo of light around him.

“Th-thank you,” she murmured as he helped her back to her feet.

“No problem,” he replied with a grin. “It’s not every day a pretty girl falls for me.”

Marinette blushed slightly before asking, “So, can I know my savior’s name?”

“Adrien,” he said. “What’s yours?”

“Ma—”

“Marinette!” Felix suddenly called, having caught sight of her. She cringed at his voice.

Adrien noticed her reaction, and glanced over at Felix. “So, Marinette, I take it you’re running from someone?”

“My ex,” she said bitterly. “Doesn’t know how to take no for an answer.”

“Want some help?” He gave her a mischievous smile as he extended his hand to her. “If you’re willing to let me be your savior again, my lady.”

She took his hand, returning the smile. “I suppose I could let you whisk me away.”

He took off at a fast pace, leading her towards the road, to a moped parked there. “I’ve only got the one helment,” he said apologetically, lifting the item off the seat and handing it to her. “I’ll drive, so if I die, it’s all my fault.”

She laughed nervously as she put on the helmet. “Maybe don’t joke about that?”

“Anywhere specific you wanted to go?” Adrien asked as Marinette sat behind him on the moped, wrapping her arms around him for balance. “Ever been to Athens?”

“First time here,” she replied. “I need to be back on the boat before it leaves, but beyond that—I trust you.”

“You just met me,” he said with a laugh, starting to drive.

She hummed happily and held him a little tighter. “Yeah, but you’re my knight in shining armor, aren’t you?”

“I suppose I am.”

**

After a short ride, Adrien pulled the moped into a parking spot next to an open-air market, filled with stalls of food and goods, people shouting over each other in many languages, mostly Greek.

“This is one of my favorite places here,” he said, helping Marinette off of the moped. “It’s not as touristy, but you still get a taste of everything you could want out of Greece.”

She laced her fingers with his as they walked into the market. “I don’t know,” she murmured. “I think I’ve gotten a lot out of this already.”

A woman with short black hair suddenly walked in front of them, and Marinette was momentarily struck dumb as she was reminded of Kagami, who was likely still on the ship and _hopefully_ still interested. But then again, the other woman _had_ encouraged her to just see what happens—and what could be more spontaneous than literally falling into a handsome man’s arms?

So she brushed her thumb lightly over the back of Adrien’s hand, deciding to just go with the moment. “What do you recommend trying first?”

He led her to a stall that was roasting meat on a large spit. He said something in Greek to the man working there, who immediately nodded and cut pieces of meat off the large slab, layering them into two pieces of pita bread. He handed them both to Adrien, who handed one to Marinette. “The best gyros in Athens. I always have to get some when I’m here.”

She tentatively took a bite before smiling wide. “Mmm. That’s _delicious_.”

He led her around the marketplace, showing her his favorite stalls. She sampled fresh produce, fresh fish, even a shot of ourzo Adrien gave her. The liquor burned as it went down her throat, but it tasted so _good_ with all the food she’d had.

Marinette mentioned that she’d been looking for inspiration, so he showed her stalls of pottery, jewelry, and embroidered swaths of fabric. He patiently waited, chatting with stall owners, while she gaped in awe and sketched wildly, her mind swimming with new ideas.

“This is _amazing_ ,” she said as they walked back to his moped together.

“I’m glad you like it,” he replied with a grin. “Anything else you want to see while you’re in Greece?”

Marinette gave him a sheepish grin. “I know it’s cheesy and tourist-y, but I want to see the Acropolis. It’s probably pretty crowded, though.”

“Say no more,” Adrien replied, offering the helmet to her. “Haven’t you learned to trust me by now, my lady?”

Marinette just giggled as she held onto him and he drove off.

**

Adrien pulled the moped off the road by a knee-high wooden gate. “Through here,” he said. “It’s a bit of a hike, but it’s worth it.”

“Is this _legal_?” she asked apprehensively.

“It’s fine,” he said, waving a hand dismissively. “My father is friends with the guy who owns the property. I’ll make sure you don’t get in trouble.”

Saying that, he hopped over the gate and held his hand out to Marinette. She laughed and shook her head, but took his hand and carefully stepped over the gate.

Adrien continued to hold her hand as he led her down a small dirt path winding around olive trees. “The Acropolis was a lot bigger than the tourist area, so it’s not uncommon for people here to have a couple of old columns in their backyard. These are some of my favorites.”

“It’s beautiful,” Marinette murmured, glancing around her at the trees. “I could design an entire line around this grove alone!”

“If you want to stop and sketch, be my guest,” he said with a grin. “It’s going to start getting dark, though, so keep that in mind.”

“I’ll wait,” she said, smiling. “I want to see these ruins.”

A short while later, the path opened up to an area with four ancient stone columns standing tall, and one lying beside them in broken chunks.

“Wow,” Marinette said breathlessly, stepping between the columns. “These are older than my whole city…that’s _amazing_.”

“Impressed?” Adrien asked.

“Yeah,” she replied, giving him a teasing grin. “These ruins are really something.”

“Just the ruins?” he asked, leaning back against one of the columns.

Her eyes widened. “Don’t _touch_ them!” she exclaimed. “That’s thousands of years old!”

“So?” he asked. “There’s things that old all over the place. You can sit on the fallen one if you want.”

She bit her lip before delicately placing herself on the fallen column. “This feels _wrong_ …kind of fun, though.”

“You’re just _sitting_ ,” he pointed out, sitting down beside her. “If you _really_ want to defile it, though…” He let his words trail off as he grinned and gave a dramatic wink.

She grinned and leaned towards him. “I guess I haven’t really thanked you for being my savior today, have I?”

“Your company is thanks enough,” Adrien replied, “but I wouldn’t say no to a kiss.”

Marinette leaned in a little more, closing the gap between them as she pressed her lips to his. The moment was just _perfect_ , the warm breeze around them as the sun set, the softness of his lips, the way he wrapped an arm around her back…”I don’t think one kiss is _really_ enough thanks,” she murmured when they parted.

“I’m not planning on stopping you anytime soon,” he replied, his voice low as he gently slid his hand along her side.

Marinette didn’t get back to the ship until long after the sun had set.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because this is based on a choose your own adventure story, I haven't yet decided who will be endgame with Marinette. Who do you want to see her with?


	7. Sweet Sixteen

Surprisingly, Chloe didn’t hate her job.

She’d unofficially been given the title of substitute party planner, when the actual events manager was ill or away. Other than that, all she really had to do was plaster on a fake smile and take orders in the restaurant. She could handle it.

As she walked into the restaurant, her boss called out to her, “Chloe!”

“Yeah?” she asked, forcing herself to smile at Nathaniel.

“There’s a party happening on the deck, and they need another server,” he said. “Some rich teenager’s birthday—make her happy, okay?”

“Sure, can do,” Chloe said, rolling her eyes once her back was turned. She headed up to the deck, mentally bracing herself.

Almost immediately, she ran into a brunette teenager who glared at her and demanded, “Do you work here?”

“Uh, yeah,” Chloe replied before pasting that smile back on her face. “So how can I help you?”

“I hate these balloons,” the girl said, pointing to the purple balloons all over the deck. “Get rid of them.”

“Really?” Chloe asked. “You know purple is the color of royalty. I mean, Kylie Jenner literally just had a purple themed party but go off I guess.”

The teen’s eyes widened, and she said in a snotty tone, “Uh, that was just a test. I guess you’re cool enough to work at my party.”

“Thanks,” Chloe replied through gritted teeth before heading over to greet Sabrina, the other server working the party.

“Oh thank god you’re here,” Sabrina said, just barely restraining herself from hugging Chloe in gratitude. “The birthday girl is named Manon, and she’s just—well, you met her.”

“Yeah,” Chloe said, wrinkling her nose. “Ugh, I hope I wasn’t that bad as a teenager.”

“Anyways, come here, let me show you the most important thing,” Sabrina said, leading Chloe behind the bar. On the ground was a large cardboard box, and inside sat the most adorable tiny puppy Chloe had ever _seen_.

“Oh my god!” she squealed. “Where did he come from?”

“Manon’s birthday present, apparently,” Sabrina replied with a grimace. “And he _really_ likes sneaking out of that box, so please, _please_ help me make sure he stays where he—”

Chloe bent down suddenly, grabbing the puppy who had wriggled his way over the side of the box and was attempting a mad dash out to the party. “I got him,” she said. “Go, take care of the party, I got this, don’t worry.”

She hovered by the bar, keeping the adorable little furball in its place while watching Sabrina. She saw an older man, apparently the father of Manon, approach her, and narrowed her eyes.

As the man wrapped an arm around Sabrina’s shoulders, Chloe stalked over to him. “Hi, excuse me, you do know she’s like, thirty years younger than you?”

The man frowned and removed his arm. “I was just being friendly.”

“Well, be a little _less_ friendly, or I’ll get security here,” she snapped, looping her arm in Sabrina’s and tugging her back towards the bar.

“Th-thanks,” the redhead said with a timid smile. “I usually just freeze up when people get creepy like that…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Chloe said. “I’ll handle the party, you watch the puppy and relax, okay?”

“Okay,” Sabrina agreed, bending over to pet the adorable little animal.

The rest of the party went by smoothly. Chloe handled it like a pro, keeping alcohol away from the one creepy dad while making sure all of Manon’s insane requests were met.

At the end of the party, the box with the puppy was presented to Manon, who immediately cooed over the tiny creature, holding it in her arms tightly. The puppy, apparently, did not like this, as it wormed its way out of her arms and ran away from her, heading straight into Chloe’s path.

She dodged the puppy, but lost her footing immediately after, falling and dropping her armful of plates with half eaten birthday cake. The cake slices spilled all over her outfit, turning her into a mess—but on the bright side, the cute puppy came over to start licking the frosting off her face.

At least the party was over. Chloe collected the dishes and brought them back down to the restaurant, looking forward to a nice hot shower.

Nathaniel laughed when he saw her. “What happened to you?”

“Tripped over a spoiled brat’s puppy,” she said. “I’m done for today, right?”

“Yeah,” he said, giving her a dismissive wave. “You can go back to your cabin and relax. But, Chloe?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re doing really well here,” he told her with a smile. “I’m glad you’re part of the team.”

Chloe turned and left before he could see her blush.

**

Meanwhile, Marinette accompanied Nino to greet Alya as she boarded the ship. “You’re gonna tell her about the girlfriend thing, right?”

“Yeah, of course,” Nino said. “Just—after she gets settled in, okay?”

Marinette raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

The newcomers started to file onto the ship, and Nino raised his hand, waving to someone Marinette couldn’t see. She noticed a bustle in the crowd as someone pushed their way forward, then she was suddenly face to face with an attractive curvaceous woman about her age, who greeted Nino with a hug. “You must be Alya.”

“Yeah!” the woman said, turning to Marinette before continuing in a cheery tone, “I have no idea who you are!”

“Marinette,” she said, holding out her hand in greeting. “I’m an old friend of Nino’s, I just wanted to be here to make sure he tells you what’s going on.”

Alya’s smile immediately dropped, and she turned back to Nino with an accusing look on her face. “What _is_ going on?”

“Uh,” Nino said with a sheepish grin, “I kind of need you to pretend to be my girlfriend.”

“ _What?_ ”

“In his defense, it’s so he can get a bunch of money,” Marinette chimed in.

“Dude, not helping!” Nino hissed. He glanced back at Alya with a sigh and said, “Do you want to go get a drink? I’ll tell you the whole story.”

“Okay, but you’re buying, fake boyfriend,” she replied, an unamused look on her face.

As the two walked away, Marinette heard someone from behind her calling her name. She turned to see a familiar face smiling at her. “Kagami?”

“Hi,” Kagami said, stepping close and grabbing Marinette’s hands in hers. “I’m back on the ship for a while—I was hoping to run into you again.”

“Well, I’m free right now,” Marinette said. “You know, if you wanted to do something?”

Kagami leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Marinette’s cheek. “I’d really like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to an awesome suggestion by Bookcrazysongbird, I've got the ending for this figured out! But please let me know who you're rooting for as Marinette's love interest--I love hearing all your thoughts!
> 
> That and canonically this book has 2 sequels I could adapt. I'm not sure that I will, but the option is there.
> 
> (Also let me know who you think Chloe should end up with! I've already decided this one but in the book there's multiple options.)


	8. Tattoo Time

Max had no idea why he’d decided to go _back_ to that dance class. Technically he’d already fulfilled Master Fu’s requirement, and he didn’t _like_ dancing. But against all logic, he wanted to be there.

“Hey, you’re back!” a boisterous voice greeted him. He turned to see Kim behind him, grinning and holding up his hand for a high-five.

Max returned the gesture, mentioning, “I’m surprised you’re here. Won’t you get in trouble?”

“For something my twin brother did?” Kim asked, feigning shock. “ _Clearly_ that wasn’t me!”

Max laughed slightly. “If you say so. I am glad you’re here, though, dancing is… _really_ not my preferred hobby.”

“Then, why are you here?”

“It’s…a long story,” he replied. “The base sum of it is: I’m fulfilling my mentor’s ‘bucket list’.”

“Ah, gotcha,” Kim said, giving him a wink and finger guns. “That’s pretty cool! So what else is on your list?”

“Well—”

“All right, let’s start!” Claude said, walking into the dance studio. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Kim, and narrowed his eyes. “You.”

“Me?” Kim asked. “I’m just here to apologize for what my twin brother did!”

“Oh, don’t give me that bull,” Claude snapped. “I know _you’re_ the one who embarrassed me in front of the captain! You’re not welcome in this class anymore.”

Max found himself stepping forward then, saying, “Why should he be banned? He hasn’t committed an offense that should bar him from doing what he’s _paid_ to do on this cruise. Are you authorized to make these decisions yourself?”

Claude was silent for a long minute, glaring at the men, before he turned and headed to the front of the room. “Everyone, partner up. We’re going to work on something pretty exciting—the dance showcase at the end of the summer!”

Kim placed his hand on Max’s shoulder. “You’re my partner, right?”

“I—I suppose I am.”

“Sweet. We’re gonna _win_ this thing!”

“I don’t believe there will _be_ a winner,” Max said, but he smiled.

**

When the dance lesson ended, Max and Kim walked out together.

“You never answered me, by the way,” Kim said. “What’s the other things on your bucket list?”

“I must hike up a mountain and get a tattoo,” Max mused. “There are some that cannot be completed right now…”

“Dude, let’s get tattoos.”

Max blinked in surprise before turning to look up at the other man. “What?”

He shrugged. “I’ve always wanted a tattoo, and you need to get one. Let’s go do that now.”

“ _Right_ now?” Max asked, feeling very uncomfortable with the spontaneity. “What about choosing a design and researching the best tattoo shop?”

“They do tats at the ship’s salon,” Kim replied. “I know because I was reading the guide to the ship when I was bored. Let’s go now and just get what sounds cool.”

Max found himself nodding before he’d truly thought it through, and so Kim grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him towards the direction of the salon.

**

Kim went first, allowing the tattoo artist to draw a tailfin outline on his ankle. “I love swimming,” he explained. “This way, I can totally be a merman!”

Meanwhile, Max was flipping through a book of designs the artist had available. “I have no idea what to get.”

Kim leaned over and pointed to a random design. “That one.”

Max stared at the image, a geometric mandala. “I…don’t think that works for me. But it does give me an idea!”

The artist let him use a piece of scratch paper to sketch out a chemical formula and molecule.

“Here,” he said, handing it to the artist. “An oxytocin molecule.”

“Great,” the artist replied. “Where do you want that?”

“It’d look pretty sweet on the shoulder,” Kim said, peering at the sketch. “Do that!”

“A-all right,” Max said, agreeing as he couldn’t see a better option. He hesitantly removed his shirt to bare his shoulder for the artist. He caught Kim grinning at him and asked, “What?”

“You look good,” Kim replied. “You’re skinny but toned. It’s nice.”

Max smiled, a small blush on his face. “Oh. Thank you.”

“Ready?” the artist said, bringing the needle to Max’s back.

“Yes,” he said, and then immediately winced as the needle first pierced his skin. “That’s—that is painful, but not as bad as I expected.”

“Here,” Kim said, holding out his hand. “Squeeze if you need it.”

He didn’t want to admit it, but after the first minute of ink buzzing into his skin—he needed the comfort. And he appreciated it.

**

Meanwhile, Marinette was indulging Chloe in some ‘girl time and drinks’. The two women took over a couple of loungers on the pool deck, stretching out and enjoying the sun and frozen margaritas.

“So, are you going to marry that Kagami girl or what?” Chloe asked.

“I don’t know,” Marinette replied. “She’s pretty amazing, but I haven’t known her for long. Marriage is a lifetime commitment, you know?”

Chloe snorted. “No it isn’t. People get divorced all the time. Marry her, have an awesome honeymoon, get divorced, you keep your money and she keeps hers. Totally easy.”

“If I’m going to get married, I want it to be for real,” Marinette said. “Enough about me, though. How’s your job going?”

“Ugh, let’s not even talk about that,” Chloe groaned. “My boss is hot but an asshole, and there’s this other waitress that’s kind of pretty but like, she’s just a waitress.”

“ _You’re_ just a waitress. At least right now.”

She groaned again, and muttered, “I hate that you’re right.”

“Excuse me,” a voice said from beside them, as a shadow fell over the two girls.

“You’re blocking my sun,” Chloe snarled.

Marinette sat up and admonished, “Chlo, don’t be a bitch. What is it?” She squinted past the sun at the figure and saw it was Luka, holding a bouquet of flowers.

“These are for you,” he said, holding the bouquet out towards Marinette.

“Oh,” she said, smiling softly. “Thank you.”

Luka just smiled and added, “Not from me. Any other day I’d be happy to give you flowers, but I’m just a messenger right now.”

“Still,” Marinette replied, her smile growing wider, “I appreciate it.”

As Luka walked away, Chloe turned to get a better view of the flowers. “ _Nice_. Who are they from? Kagami?”

“No,” Marinette said as she checked the card, “they’re from Adrien. That guy I met in Athens.”

_These flowers aren’t half as beautiful as you. I’d love to see you again. -Adrien_

“Ooh,” Chloe said as she read the note. “He left you a phone number.”

“Well, I think I’m going to give him a call, then,” Marinette said, standing. “In my room alone. Have fun tanning.”

“I will!”

**

Nino sat alone at a table for two in the ship’s dining room. He’d invited Alya to dinner, but she hadn’t shown.

That was okay. He could deal with it. He didn’t want to pressure her into being anything more than coworkers. But then—

“Good evening, Mr. Lahiffe. Where, exactly, is your girlfriend?”

Nino cringed as he glanced at Mr. Damocles. “She’s getting ready. Why?”

“Well, in order for you to fulfill the requirements of the will, I must ensure that your weekly dates are completed,” Damocles replied. “So, once Alya is here, I will be on my way and leave you two to enjoy your time together. I just need to be sure that she _will_ be here.”

“Yeah, sure, cool,” Nino said, trying not to let his nerves show. Alya would be there. She’d do this for him.

He hoped, at least.


	9. Truths

Just as Nino was about to order dinner for one, Alya came through the restaurant, pushing past other tables as she approached him.

“Hey, I’m sorry I’m late!” she said breathlessly. “This boat is bigger than I thought. I got lost!”

“That’s no problem,” Nino said with a relieved grin. He stood from the table and gave a sidelong glance towards Damocles before grabbing Alya’s hand and kissing the back of it. “Ready for dinner?”

She nodded, taking her seat. Her gaze drifted towards Damocles for just a moment, and then she raised an eyebrow at Nino.

He gave her his best pleading face before saying, “So, babe, how are you enjoying the vacation so far?”

“It’s pretty nice,” she replied. “I had to bring some work with me due to the short notice, but I’ll just run up your tab at the spa to make up for it.”

Nino laughed nervously.

“Wonderful to meet you, Miss Cesaire,” Mr. Damocles said, leaning over from the other table. “I can see you two have a lot to catch up on, so I will leave you be. I’ll see you again next week.”

As soon as he left, Alya levelled a glare at Nino. “Okay, I’m here. I’ll eat dinner with you, I’ll play nice for your family. But I’m not kidding about the spa treatments.”

“That’s fair,” Nino said. “Al, you’re the _best_. I promise, I’m putting every cent of this inheritance back into the company.”

“And I get double vacation days, right?” she asked with a grin.

“Are you just going to keep adding on things you want every time we talk about this?”

“Yeah,” she replied. “I wanna see what I can get, and annoy you. Win win.”

Nino just laughed. “Good thing we’re not actually dating. We’d kill each other.”

“Oh yeah, it’d be the _worst_.”

**

Marinette was finally relaxing and enjoying her vacation. She headed to the on-deck bar, fully ready to lie back with a drink and enjoy the setting sun.

Her moment of bliss was interrupted by a familiar face approaching her.

“Felix,” she groaned.

“Marinette!” he said happily. “Have you decided to marry me yet? It’s not like you have other options.”

“I do have other options, actually,” she said smugly. “I’m seeing some people, and I like them both so far.”

“Aren’t you dating some chick?” he asked. “You can’t marry another girl.”

“Are you actually an idiot?” She snorted derisively. “That sort of attitude is why I’d _never_ marry you.”

Felix opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off as the bartender approached. “Is everything all right here?”

“Hi, Luka,” Marinette said with a smile. “It’s fine, Felix here was just _leaving_.”

Felix shot her a glare, but thankfully did walk away.

“Did you need something?” Marinette asked.

Luka shook his head. “I just wanted to check in with you, see how you’re doing. You know, usual bartender protocol when there’s a pretty girl by herself.”

She smiled. “I’m doing fine, actually. I appreciate the company—are you working right now, or…?”

“No,” he replied. “So I can stay for a bit if you want me to.”

“I’d like that.”

Luka sat in the deck chair beside her. “So, who was that guy?”

“My ex,” Marinette replied with a groan. “He’s kind of the worst.”

“How so?”

“Well, he complained about me making more money than him, for one,” she said. “So that should tell you all you need to know.”

“Pretty much, yeah,” Luka said, leaning back in the chair. “I say you dodged a bullet. A girl like you could do a _lot_ better.”

“Yeah, I think I’m figuring that out,” she said, smiling softly. “Then there’s this whole _other_ thing with the inheritance…”

“What’s going on?”

It was _easy_ to just spill everything to Luka, tell him about the inheritance and her impossible task, about how Kagami and Adrien were both _great_ but she wasn’t really sure about marrying someone she just met—not that either of them asked—and she _did_ want to be married someday, she just hated the pressure hanging over her head!

“Sounds like a lot,” Luka replied. He glanced towards the bar and gave a nod to the bartender on duty. “You need a drink.”

The bartender came over at that moment carrying two glasses of whiskey.

“Thanks,” she said as she accepted the drink. “So, what about you? How does one end up as a cruise ship bartender, anyways?”

“Traveled a lot as a kid,” he replied. “My mom’s a musician, so we went from place to place, wherever she could get a gig. I picked up the guitar, piano, some singing, and now I’m here as the backup for when any musicians on the ship can’t do their job.”

“Not a bartender?” she asked. “But you were—”

“Turns out I don’t get paid when I’m not performing,” he said, grinning at her. “So, bartending it is.”

“That stinks,” she replied. “I get it, though. Gotta do what you need to do to survive.”

He nodded. “It’s not all bad. I get to meet some pretty awesome people. And now, a really cute girl.”

Marinette blushed a light pink. “You think I’m cute?”

“No, I meant your ex,” he said with a joking grin. “Yeah, you’re cute. There’s something about you that’s just interesting, you know?”

“Well, I happen to think you’re the hottest bartender-slash-musician I’ve ever seen.”

Luka sat up slightly and leaned towards her. “I’d _really_ like to continue this, but—I’m not supposed to ‘fraternize with guests’ off the clock. Talking is fine, but…” His gaze flicked down to her lips.

She smiled. “Want to come back to my cabin, then?”

**

Nino led Alya back to his cabin after their “date”.

“Thank you _so much_ for this,” he said as soon as the door was shut behind them.

Alya’s response was to punch him in the shoulder.

“Hey! What’s that for?”

“For not telling me I’ll be expected to lie to your family until I get here!” she replied. “You’ve dumped all this information on me, I’ve played along—but now you’re going to explain _everything_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead, I'm just having writers block


	10. Training

Nino groaned, sitting on his bed as he glanced up at a still-angry Alya. “That’s it,” he said. “That’s all I’ve got. Will, fake dating, money, that’s it. Are you done with your questions now?”

She pursed her lips, considering. “One more. What are you going to do with the money?”

“Well, if you want some for putting up with this, you’ll get it, of course,” he said. “But I was really just going to invest it all in the business.”

Finally, Alya relaxed, a genuine smile crossing her face. “Good. So you’re not totally stupid. Now, let’s get our stories straight.”

“Stories?” he asked.

“Yeah, duh,” she said, sitting beside him on the bed. “Where we met, how we started dating, little pet names for each other, things like that.”

Nino sighed. “This is going to be a long night, isn’t it?”

**

A knock came at Nino’s door, and he crossed the room to open it. Lila stood there, a saccharine smile on her face.

“Hello, my dear friend!” she said. “I was just coming by to see how you’re doing, and if you’d like to get a drink?”

“Um, what?” Nino asked. “No. I’m doing fine, hanging out with my girlfriend.”

“Oh, how sweet!” she cooed, pushing her way into the room. “I’m so glad to meet you, uh—what’s your name again? Anna?”

“Alya. And, we were in the middle of something.”

Lila gasped. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I just wanted to get to know you better! Like, where was your first date?”

“My house,” Nino replied. “I cooked for her.”

“And it was terrible,” Alya teased with a smile.

Lila laughed, somehow still sounding absolutely fake. “Cute! You two are _so_ adorable together.”

“Yeah,” Alya said. “He’s the best. Now, if you don’t mind, we were going to go to bed, so…”

“Oh!” she exclaimed, heading back towards the door. “I’m sorry, I’ll give you two some _privacy_!”

“Thanks,” Nino muttered as he shut the door behind Lila.

“Oh, you owe me,” Alya replied with a grin. “How about _you_ sleep on the floor tonight, and I’ll take this nice bed? Since, _apparently_ , we’re too cute a couple to have _separate rooms_.”

“Yeah, that’s fair,” Nino said sheepishly. “Um, good night?”

“Good night.”

**

The next day, Marinette decided to check out the on-deck waterslides. She wore her cutest swimsuit and headed up to the top deck to try them out—but once there, she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

“Marinette!”

She turned and smiled widely. “Adrien! You’re on the ship too!”

He gave a sheepish grin. “Actually, I just boarded at the last port. I wanted to be able to spend more time with you, so I booked a ticket.”

“Wow,” she said, her cheeks growing pink. “Just for me?”

He nodded. “I’m glad I ran into you _here_. You look really nice.”

“You do too,” she said, noting for the first time that he wore a swimsuit beneath his fitted T-shirt. “Although I think you could stand to take off the shirt…”

“Say no more,” he said with a grin, quickly grabbing the shirt and whipping it off. “Better?”

“Much,” she replied, openly ogling his bare chest.

They climbed the stairs to the waterslides together before arriving at a pair of slides. “Race you to the bottom,” Adrien said.

“Oh, you’re on.”

They both headed into the slides, whooping as they went down the spiraling chutes, coming out at the same time in the pool below. It didn’t matter who won their race, as Marinette lost all thought as soon as Adrien’s arms were around her and his lips were pressed to hers.

**

Chloe was used to working now. She couldn’t say she particularly _liked_ it, but she at least wasn’t spending every day wishing she was just dead instead.

“Chloe!” she heard a sharp voice calling from the kitchen as she prepared the tables in the dining room for opening. She sighed and turned.

“Yes, boss?” she asked through gritted teeth.

“Come with me,” he said, waving her back.

She waited until his back was turned before rolling her eyes as she followed him. “What is it?”

“I want you to cover another private party later this week, the Pierce family reunion,” he said as he led her to a small table set up in the kitchen. “This one is more formal, so I need to train you on the food and wine pairings.”

“Oh,” Chloe said, taking a seat. “Okay then. I can drink.”

The table was laden with multiple dishes, each covered with a silver dome. Multiple glasses of wine stood next to a row of bottles.

“So, the basic rules of pairing wines to food,” Nathaniel said. “The wine should be just a bit sweeter and more acidic than the food, but not too overpowering. For example, if I were a customer who ordered _this_ , what would you serve me?” He sat at the table and uncovered a plate of salmon.

Chloe took a look at the bottles before selecting the glass of chardonnay.

“Perfect,” Nathaniel said. His fingers brushed against her hand as he took the glass from her. “Now this one.” He uncovered a steak.

“Red meat means red wine, right?” Chloe murmured as she selected a cabernet. “This one?”

He smiled. “You’re a natural.”

After she’d successfully paired the wines and the dishes, Nathaniel was smiling widely. She noted to herself that was actually a really good look on him.

“One more thing you need to try,” he said, standing and walking into his office. He returned a moment later with a glass with a finger of whiskey and a single ice cube. “This is Bartholomew Pierce’s favorite, and he’ll definitely be asking you what you think of it.”

She took a sip. “Ugh. Bitter.”

Nathaniel chuckled. “It is an acquired taste, but you’ll need to be a little more specific. Does it taste like wood? Earth? Nuts?”

Another sip, one she swirled around her mouth, considering. “I guess…woody? A bit like an oak tree? And sort of smoky.”

“Good,” he said. “This particular whiskey is aged in oak barrels, so you’ll impress him by mentioning that taste.”

“So, I’m good?” Chloe asked with a smile, setting down the glass.

“You are,” he replied with a nod. “And—I know I’m not the nicest boss, but you’ve been doing really well. I’m proud of you.”

A warm, fluttery feeling settled in her stomach, and she kept a smile on her face through her whole shift.


	11. Under Fire

Chloe was prepared for the fancy party. She knew how to talk about wines and whiskeys and food.

She worked her ass off, running around serving food and drinks, all while dealing with old men with grabby hands and a bored teenager who only looked up from her phone to antagonize her.

She delivered a tray of drinks to the table with the teen, who, without looking, grabbed a glass of champagne.

“Uh, hey!” Chloe said, trying to keep her tone polite. “You’re a little young for that, aren’t you?”

A woman shot Chloe a disgusted look. “Don’t tell me how to parent my daughter!”

“Sorry, ma’am,” she replied, biting back what she _really_ wanted to say.

Back in the kitchen, she was suddenly pulled aside by Sabrina. “You look like you’re having some trouble,” the redhead said in a quiet voice. “Here.”

Sabrina offered her a flask, and Chloe was more than happy to take a big swig. “Thanks. Now it won’t be _so_ bad.”

She headed back out to the restaurant, already feeling better.

Over the course of the night, she took a few more drinks, not realizing that she was getting progressively tipsier. Everyone was getting their food, so what did it matter?

Then, Nathaniel entered the kitchen. “Chloe,” he said, gently pulling her aside. “Are you drunk right now?”

She shook her head, willing herself to sober up immediately. “Nope. Totally fine. Doing great.”

Nathaniel studied her face for a moment longer, but then shrugged. “I thought I saw you stumble—must have been a rogue wave. You’re doing well tonight, keep it up.”

Once he was gone, she breathed a sigh of relief, taking a moment to gather herself before heading back into the fray.

**

Marinette was relaxing in her room when a message slid under her cabin door. “Meet me at the deck bar,” it read, signed with a heart.

She smiled, and headed out.

Kagami was sitting at the bar already, sipping her drink. She smiled when she saw Marinette. “It’s so good to see you again,” she murmured, kissing the other girl on the cheek.

“Same,” Marinette said with a grin. “You’re looking good.”

“Thank you,” Kagami replied. “I asked you to come here because I have an idea—would you like to see London?”

“That would be great, but the boat isn’t docking there.”

“True,” Kagami said with a simple shrug. “But the next port _is_ next to a private airport, and it’s only an hour’s flight.”

“Are you asking me on a fancy date?” Marinette asked. “Because I’d be happy to.”

“Good,” Kagami said. “I’ll meet you at the port tomorrow, then.”

“But what should I do for the rest of tonight?” Marinette asked, smiling at the other girl. “Be all alone in my cabin?”

Kagami sighed. “I’d be with you if I could, but I have work I need to do. I’ll see you tomorrow, I promise.” She leaned forward, giving Marinette another soft kiss on the cheek.

“Tomorrow,” Marinette repeated.

**

Marinette met up with Chloe at the ship’s boutique later that evening.

“So Kagami’s taking me to London, and I have no idea what to wear. Help?”

Chloe sighed. “I have had such a long day—you’re lucky I’m such a good friend. Go try this on,” she said, grabbing something from the racks.

Marinette tried on the dress, emerging from the changing room in a pale pink lace dress. “Yeah. This is it.”

Chloe just grinned. “You go rock that girl’s world.”

**

Riding a private jet with Kagami was unlike anything Marinette had ever experienced. The jet was comfortable and swank, allowing the women to sit side by side and enjoy each other’s company.

When Marinette made a comment about how nice the jet was, Kagami just smirked.

“Someone like you deserves comfort like this all the time,” she murmured. “A private jet, champagne, and some lovely company make for the _best_ travel conditions.”

Marinette just blushed. “You think I’m lovely?”

“Of course.”

“Well,” Marinette said, daring to lean towards the other woman, “I think you’re beautiful.” She kissed Kagami then, a soft kiss that led to more passion, hands roaming over clothing, exploring each other.

When they finally broke apart, the plane was landing, bringing them to London.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As we pass the halfway point of the story, I realize: I probably will need to write a sequel.


	12. New Heights

Max woke up that morning to an email from a prestigious university—an opportunity he’d forgotten he even applied for.

_Congratulations! You have been selected to interview for the Francis Lauder Fellowship at Yale University…_

He read the whole email with bated breath, realizing that his video chat interview was scheduled for the following morning in US time—which meant _that night_ for him.

He definitely had time for the mountain hike activity planned at port, then a quick shower and an interview.

**

Max met up with the hiking group at the base of a mountain. Kim was already there, wearing a backpack and looking prepared.

“Ready for this?” he asked Max when he saw him.

Max nodded. “I think so. It’s another adventure, but it does help that I’m not alone.”

“That’s the spirit,” Kim said. “We’re gonna kick this mountain’s ass.”

“Technically, mountains don’t have asses…” Max sighed and glanced up at the imposing path before them. “But you’re right. We’re going to kick it.”

As they walked up the mountainside, they exchanged stories about their lives, their hopes, their fears.

“I’m probably most afraid of failure,” Max admitted, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Or spiders.”

“I don’t have fears,” Kim said, still smiling. “That just slows you down.”

“You must be afraid of _something_.”

He just shrugged. “Nah. I mean, I’m not _stupid_ , I know I shouldn’t go run through fire or anything, but that doesn’t mean I’m _afraid_ of it. And if there was a way to run through fire safely, I’d totally try!”

Max regarded him curiously. “How can you live so fearlessly?”

“By being awesome,” he replied with a grin.

**

The group stopped by an idyllic pond to rest for a few moments. Kim nudged Max’s side. “Hey. We should ditch them.”

“Ditch them?” Max asked.

“Yeah, stay here and go for a swim. You can climb the mountain afterwards, still cross it off your list.”

Max glanced at the pond, the water crystal clear and temping. “As long as we get back on time…”

“Dude, I promise,” Kim said. “Come on, let’s go to the water.”

While the hiking group’s leader’s attention was distracted, Kim and Max snuck off the trail, running towards the water. They ducked behind a large rock on the shore until the group walked away.

“Sweet,” Kim said, stripping off his shirt. “Let’s go swimming!”

He pulled off his pants as well, and once he was in his underwear, cannonballed into the pond.

“Aren’t you worried about wildlife in the water, or shallow rocks?” Max asked.

“No fear!” Kim cried in response. “Water’s great, come on in!”

Max hesitated, but did strip down to his boxers and slowly waded into the water. It was pleasantly warm from the sun, and he was able to swim comfortably out to where Kim was trading water.

“You look good in your underwear,” Kim said with a grin. “Cute as hell.”

Max blushed. “You—look good as well.”

Kim swam a small circle around him, circling him like a shark. “Hey, I haven’t asked. Are you into guys?”

“I’m gray ace,” he replied, caught off guard.

Kim abruptly stopped. “That’s super cool, but I have no idea what that means.”

“It means,” he paused, thinking of the best phrasing, “I’m not attracted by gender, but rather attraction has the opportunity to grow after I become close to someone. It—it doesn’t happen often for me, though.”

“Oh,” Kim said, a flash of a frown on his face before he forced a smile. “That’s cool. So—we’re friends, yeah?”

Max let himself smile at the other man. “We’re friends.”

**

When the two had dried off, and hiked up to the top of the mountain, Max’s phone chimed. He pulled it out and groaned at the notification.

“What’s that?” Kim asked.

“I have a job interview in one hour,” he replied. “I need to get back to the ship _now!_ ”

“On it,” Kim replied. He picked up Max by the waist, slinging him over his back in a fireman’s carry. “Taxi Kim is here to save the day!”

“You’re ridiculous,” Max said with a laugh. “But, also, quite likely faster than me. Go, Taxi Kim!”

Kim _ran_ down the mountain, leaping his way over logs in the path, barreling through the port area to get back to the ship. Once they were both onboard, he set Max down and gave him a wink. “Good luck!”

“Wait!” Max called as Kim turned to leave. As he turned back, he stood on his toes and reached up to press his lips to Kim’s quickly. “Thank you.”

Kim smiled widely. “For you, anytime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what can I say I love Kim and Max


	13. On the Spot

Max showered, changed, made himself look good before turning on his laptop for his video interview.

“Hello!” he said brightly when the screen filled with a man’s face. “It’s a pleasure to talk to you, sir.”

“Max Kante?” the man asked. “I’m Brad Magness, the hiring manager at Yale. Thank for taking the time to chat with me today.”

After the usual interview questions going over Max’s work history and education, Brad steepled his fingers. “Ready for the more interesting stuff?”

“I am,” Max replied.

“If you woke up tomorrow in Warsaw, what would be your first course of action?”

“I suppose I would call a close friend to aid me in getting home.”

“What’s something daring you’ve done in the last two weeks?”

“I…got a tattoo,” Max admitted. “The chemical formula for oxytocin.”

“And, finally, if there are two types of people in the world—how would you describe them?”

Max hesitated for a moment. He quickly ran through all the ways that people could legitimately be separated into two groups, but when he opened his mouth, he said, “The people who chase their dreams, and those who haven’t found what they truly want yet.”

“Interesting,” Brad replied. “Well, thank you, Max, we’ll be in touch soon with next steps.”

“Thank you!” Max said. He waited until the interviewer hung up before he ended the call.

**

“So, how are you enjoying London?” Kagami asked Marinette over dinner at a Michelin starred restaurant. Marinette had been intimidated when she saw the menu didn’t even _have_ prices on it, but the food was delicious and Kagami assured her it wasn’t a problem.

“It’s amazing,” Marinette said. “I’m so glad I’m here with you.”

The waiter brought over their desserts, chocolate souffles. Marinette hesitated when she looked down at hers and saw a brilliant diamond ring nestled on top of the treat.

“Um,” she said. “I know I said my mentor wanted me to get married, but—don’t you think this is a little too fast?”

Kagami glanced at her dish, then raised a hand to catch the waiter’s attention.

“I am truly sorry, Miss,” the waiter said, taking back the souffle. “This was meant for another table. My apologies for the confusion.”

Once he was gone, Marinette burst out laughing.

“You’re an amazing woman, Marinette,” Kagami said softly, “but you’re right, this is too fast. I just want to get to know you better and enjoy our time together.”

“That’s all I want too,” she replied, smiling and blushing.

“Then—would you be willing to accompany me to my hotel tonight?” Kagami asked. “I’d love to spend some more time with you…”

Marinette’s smile turned to a wicked grin. “Absolutely.”

**

Alya and Nino walked along the deck of the ship together, Nino’s hand caught in Alya’s painfully tight grip.

“Uh, babe, maybe you don’t need to hold my hand so hard,” he said weakly.

She gave him a downright terrifying smile. “No, I do.”

“Hey guys!” came a too-sweet voice from behind them. They turned to see Lila smiling at them, holding out a flyer. “I just came across this and thought you’d be interested, since you’re so close to each other and all.”

Nino took the flyer and skimmed over it. “Couple’s Activities on Deck? Yeah, that actually sounds interesting. Thanks…” He narrowed his eyes at her, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Alya raised an eyebrow as she read further. “Uh, _babe_ , the next activity starts in 5 minutes—a ‘sensual couple’s massage’. I’m, uh, not sure we’d make it in time…”

“No worries!” Lila said. “I already let them know you’d be a little late. Have fun, you two!”

As she walked off, Alya and Nino exchanged a nervous glance.

“I, uh—at least a massage sounds nice?” Nino offered weekly.

“Come on, _babe_ ,” Alya replied, tugging him along the deck. “We shouldn’t be too late.”


	14. Pressure Point

Nino and Alya arrived at the spa area just as the couple’s class was getting started.

“Welcome,” the instructor greeted them. “Go get changed into robes and we’ll get started.”

The two went to separate changing rooms, and then emerged wearing fluffy white robes. Alya had her hair loose around her shoulders, her toned legs peeking through the robe, and Nino was speechless.

“Women, please lay on the beds, face down, and take off your robes,” the instructor said. “Men, come over here and pick out your massage oil.”

Nino started heading to the front of the room, but Alya stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “ _Babe_ , we’re not doing that sexist bullshit, are we? Why don’t _you_ lay down?”

It was not a question.

Nino shrugged off the robe and lay face-down on the massage table as Alya turned away. He let himself relax, but suddenly tensed up when he felt a soft hand running down his spine.

“Oh, relax,” Alya said. “You’re supposed to _enjoy_ this. I’m not mad at you anymore, don’t act like I’m going to hurt you.”

Nino let out a deep breath as he relaxed.

He felt a drizzle of oil hit his back, followed by Alya’s hands working at him, rubbing it in. The oil smelled like lavender and cedar, and her hands worked it into every sore muscle he didn’t know he had.

“This is really nice,” he muttered. “Are you sure you don’t want one?”

“Maybe later,” she admitted. “I just—there’s a lot of people around, and I didn’t want to be in an awkward position. Felt totally fine to make you awkward, though.”

“Gee, thanks,” he said sarcastically.

She just chuckled as she pushed her fingers against the muscles of his shoulders.

“You know, you’ve got a really nice laugh,” Nino commented. “Wish I could hear it more often.”

“Really?” she asked. “Um, thanks. Babe.”

“Okay, time to move your massage to the lower back,” the instructor said. “If you get a little handsy during this part—well, I won’t say anything!”

The others in the massage class laughed good-naturedly, and as Alya’s hands drifted to Nino’s lower back, he found himself wondering just what if they did drift a little lower.

The next thing he knew, Alya’s hand was on his shoulder, shaking him awake. “Hey,” she said, amusement clear in her voice. “You fell asleep on me.”

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly as he sat up. “It was really nice.”

“Well, everyone’s switching partners now, and I still don’t want to do this in public, so want to go get some dinner?”

“Sounds good,” Nino replied, pulling on his robe. “I’ll meet you outside?”

**

“Tonight’s special in the main dining room is Caribbean cuisine!” Alya said excitedly when she met up with Nino. “Let’s go, I _need_ to judge how good this is.”

“What’s special about that?” he asked, following her.

“My family’s from Martinique,” she replied. “I’ve never found any food equal to what my mom can make.”

When they were situated in the dining room, Alya ordered rum for the both of them, and a few dishes from the specialty menu, pronouncing the words with an accent Nino had never heard before.

“It’s really cool how much you care about your family,” Nino said.

She nodded. “They’re everything to me. So, it’s a good thing we’re not _really_ dating, or you’d be getting the whole Cesaire clan interrogation!”

Soon, the food arrived, two plates of a hearty fish curry. Alya took a bite and smiled.

“This is really good, surprisingly,” she said. “They got the spice right—you might have a problem with it, actually.”

Nino cautiously took a bite, followed by a large gulp of rum. His eyes watered, but he smiled. “Delicious.”

Alya laughed and pointed to a white mass on the plate. “It’s okay to stir in the sour cream if it helps.”

“Oh thank god,” Nino muttered, stirring it into the food immediately.

**

Marinette was resting in her cabin when a piece of paper slipped under the door.

“Come to the deck bar at once,” it read. “I need to see you.”

Her heart leapt as she wondered who exactly could have sent it, and she headed out to the deck.

But as soon as she saw who was waiting for her—she wanted to turn and run away.

Felix stood there, his usual smarmy smirk on his face as he held up a ridiculously fruity drink for her.


	15. Greek Getaway

“What are you doing here?” Marinette asked with a sigh.

“I hear you’re dating around to find your husband,” Felix replied, sliding the drink towards her as she sat at the bar. “I want to toss my hat in the ring, so to speak.”

“No,” she replied simply, ignoring the drink. “You had your chance, and I don’t want you anymore.”

“So, is he hot?” he asked. “The guy you’re screwing with? Does he know you’re a gold digger?”

She rolled her eyes. “How is any of that your business?”

“I’m still your beau, aren’t I?”

“I never even called you that when we _were_ dating.”

“Come on,” Felix said, leaning close to her. “Just give me a kiss and you’ll remember what it’s like…”

She drew her hand back and slapped him across the face, the sound ringing out across the deck.

“Everything all right?” came a voice from behind her. She turned to see Adrien standing there, his eyes set with grim determination as he looked at Felix.

“This is the guy, isn’t it?” Felix sneered. “Looks like you have a type. You even know anything about him?”

“I know he’s better than you,” she retorted. She turned away from Felix and smiled brightly at Adrien. “Hey you. What are you up to today?”

“Looking for you, actually,” he said, gently kissing her forehead as a greeting. “I want to take you to the beach.”

“Why do I get the feeling you don’t just mean the normal, public beach?” she asked with a grin. “I’ll grab my suit and meet you off the ship.”

**

Marinette changed into a pink bikini and covered up with a semi-sheer halter dress before meeting Adrien. He smiled upon seeing her, his eyes glancing over her figure.

Adrien brought her to a car, which drove them to a deserted beach. “Just me and you here,” he said, kissing her hand as he led her down to the sand. “What do you want to do?”

“Well, you know, sun safety is important,” Marinette replied. “Would you help me with sunscreen?”

She pulled a bottle of sunscreen out of her bag and handed it to him before slipping the coverup dress over her head.

“You know, you’re beautiful,” Adrien murmured. He stepped behind her to rub the lotion on her back, his hands exploring her skin long after the sunscreen was properly applied.

She turned to face him, rubbing sunscreen on his chest, standing on her toes to place a light kiss on his lips.

“Want to go for a swim?” he asked. “I know of this secret grotto through an underwater tunnel—we can pretend we’re the only people in the world.”

“Sounds great,” she said, heading towards the water. “Show me the way.”

He led her wading along the shore until they reached a rockier area, and then the ground beneath them sloped downwards. “Hold your breath,” he warned before ducking under the water and swimming away.

She followed him, emerging in a stone grotto lit only by the sun’s reflection on the water. He led her to rest beside the wall, the water shallow enough they could sit side-by-side.

“This is one of my favorite places in the world,” Adrien remarked, his hand drifting through the water to interlace with hers. “I’m glad I could show it to you.”

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured. “I’m glad I’m here with you.”

He kissed her, then, christening the grotto in a new way with her.

**

When they got back to the beach, Adrien helped Marinette out of the water, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“I love you,” he said softly.

She glanced at him in surprise. “Y-you do?”

He nodded. “I know, it’s really sudden, and I know you’re seeing other people, but—you’re one of the most amazing women I’ve ever met, Marinette. I’m not expecting you to feel the same, but I had to let you know.”

“I don’t know what to say,” she replied, but she smiled. “I think I’d like to kiss you, though.”

She pressed her lips to his, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms, when suddenly, there was a cough nearby.

“Excuse me,” an unfamiliar woman said, “but what are you doing here?”


	16. Seeing Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why you guys still like this story but I appreciate all of you <3

“Sorry,” Adrien said, raising his hands in a surrendering gesture to the woman. “We just wanted to see the beach.”

“This is private property, so unless I can see some ID, you two are under arrest,” she snapped. Marinette noticed the badge at her hip.

Adrien unzipped a waterproofed pocket of his swim trunks, and pulled out a wallet. “I’m friends with the owner,” he said.

The woman looked at the ID he offered her, and narrowed her eyes. “I need to make a call.”

“Of course.”

Marinette glanced at Adrien, confused, and he just gave her a smile.

The woman walked back over to them, handed Adrien his wallet, and said, “I’m sorry. You’re free to go.”

As they walked away from the beach, Marinette asked, “You going to tell me what that was about?”

“Like I said, I’m friends with the owner,” he replied, giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to get you in any trouble.”

**

Max was heading to the dance class when, suddenly, he ran into Chloe in the halls of the ship.

“Oh, hey,” she said. “Where are you off to?”

“My class,” he replied.

“You know, you’ve already done enough to complete Fu’s requirement,” she said. “So, why are you still going?”

“I have a friend there,” Max said. “His name is Kim.”

She grinned. “Oh my god, you have a crush on him, don’t you?”

“Unlikely,” he replied. “I don’t get ‘crushes’.”

Chloe just shrugged. “Whatever. Have fun!”

Max nodded before continuing down the hall to the dance class.

Kim was already present, and he grinned widely on seeing Max, waving him over excitedly.

“Today,” the instructor said, “we’re going to see how far you’ve all gotten. Pair up, and each pair will dance alone for a few measures.”

“We’ve gotta win,” Kim said.

“I don’t think you can win at dance.”

“We’ve gotta try.”

So Max tried his best, following Kim’s lead as they danced the salsa. He didn’t trip over himself, so he considered it a victory.

“Hey,” Kim murmured as they stood at the side of the room, panting from exertion. “Want to go hit the hot tub after this?”

“Sure,” Max replied, smiling at his friend.

The pool area was mostly deserted, as the night was winding down. The two men were able to find a hot tub that was entirely unused, and slid in after stripping down to their swim trunks.

“This is nice,” Kim said. “Just what I needed after that.”

Max nodded, relaxing in the water.

“You know, you’re really cool to hang out with,” Kim added. “I’m glad we’re friends.”

“So am I,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone quite like you.”

Kim grinned. “I’m gonna take that as a compliment.”

**

Chloe was feeling good with her job. She was doing well, got along pretty well with her boss and her coworker Sabrina, and didn’t totally suck at being nice to customers.

She was surprised to be called into Nathaniel’s office when she arrived at the restaurant.

“There’s a big event coming up, the Captain’s Ball,” he said. “Would you be willing to help out with it? It’s all hands on deck, so to speak.”

Chloe just grinned. “Absolutely. I am so the right girl for the job.”


	17. VIP

Marinette enjoyed spending time on the deck, she’d decided. Lazing in the sun, enjoying the fresh ocean air—it was nice.

So she shouldn’t have been surprised that she fell asleep one afternoon. She only awoke when it was growing dark and someone nudged her shoulder.

“Hey,” Luka said, taking a seat beside her. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah,” she replied, stretching. “Just a nap.”

“Mmhm,” he hummed, clearly unconvinced. “Well, I was looking for someone to go to dinner with, but you’re clearly busy…”

“No, no, I’m awake,” she said, sitting up. “Dinner sounds nice.”

He grinned at her. “Let’s go, then.”

**

Luka brought her to a restaurant in the port where the ship was docked. The food was good, but Marinette considered the company to be even better. They got along well, joking and laughing as they exchanged wild stories of the summer.

When the meal was finished, Luka mentioned, “There’s a nightclub not far from here—feel like going a bit longer?”

“Sounds like a good time,” she said, smiling at him.

They headed to the club, bypassing the line. Luka leaned close and murmured something to the bouncer before they went inside.

“What was that?” Marinette asked.

“Password my buddy told me, lets us in with no problem,” he replied. “I wasn’t actually sure it would work…”

“Well, it did,” she said. “Want to dance?”

“Sure.”

They headed onto the dance floor together, and Marinette was not shy about pressing her body against Luka’s, grinding against him with the rhythm of the loud music.

“Thanks for taking me out tonight,” she said, her lips brushing his cheek. “I’m having a great time.”

“I’m glad,” he replied, keeping his arms around her as they danced.

**

As the two walked back to the ship, Marinette leaned into Luka, her hand entwined with his.

“You’re great,” she murmured, half-drunk. “Too bad you probably don’t wanna get married in a few months. I like you.”

“I like you too,” he replied. “Marriage is…a lot, though.”

“I know,” she said, as they arrived at the ship. “I’m not asking _that_. But, um—can I kiss you?”

Luka nodded, before stopping and turning to face her. He cupped her cheek gently before lightly pressing his lips against hers.

She parted her lips, letting her tongue glide across his lower lip, but he quickly pulled back.

“Can’t have you getting attached to someone like me,” he murmured. “Good night, Marinette.”


	18. Last Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick life update: I'm still here, I'm still healthy, but my state's in lockdown and the depression is hurting my writing. I'll be keeping to the update schedule as much as I can!

Marinette was in the ship’s boutique with Chloe, watching, amused, as her friend rifled through the racks of clothing.

“You know, I don’t need a fancy new dress,” she commented.

“Shut up, yes you do,” Chloe responded. “Look, if I’m going to be—ugh— _responsible_ and work during this ball, you’re going to do what I wish I could and wear a nice dress and end the night with a nice guy.”

“Oh?” Marinette asked. “So if you were in my place, what nice guy would you be with?”

The blonde blushed and turned her face towards the clothing as she muttered, “I don’t know. One of them’s a girl, anyways.”

“Ooh,” Marinette teased. “Well, please, keep me updated on your romantic pursuits.”

“Sure,” Chloe replied. “If you wear _this_.”

She pulled out a stunning white and gold dress, a v-neck style that dipped far lower than Marinette was usually comfortable with. Still, she sighed and nodded.

“Okay. I’ll wear it.”

**

Nino sat with Alya in the ship’s restaurant, their show of a date night.

“So…do you want to go to this Captain’s Ball tonight?” Nino asked, his fingers nervously fiddling with the silverware.

“Sounds fun,” she replied. “Maybe I’ll even dance with you.”

He grinned. “Awesome. So I’ll—” He stopped himself when he realized his hand was moving across the table, reaching for hers.

She just gave him a soft smile before taking another sip of her drink. “It’ll be a good time.”

**

Max didn’t expect he’d attend the ball, disliking parties in general, but Kim had asked him to come along.

As they stood together on the sidelines, Kim asked, “Think I could steal the captain’s hat again?”

“Highly unlikely,” Max replied. “I don’t want you to be removed from the ship or thrown in the brig.”

“Fair.”

Meanwhile, Chloe was in the kitchen, balancing a tray precariously as she headed out to the party area, ready to pass out appetizers.

“Chloe,” Nathaniel said, getting her attention before she headed out, “you’re doing good. We should celebrate, after the ball ends.”

She grinned. “Cool. I’m in.”

**

Marinette arrived on deck for the ball and immediately paused, glancing around. To one side of the deck, she saw Kagami, to the other, Adrien. Directly in front of her was Luka at the bar.

She sighed. It was time to make a choice.

She walked across the deck.

“Adrien,” she said. “Hi.”

“Hi,” he said, smiling widely when he saw her. “I’m glad to see you. I—I wanted to talk to you about something important.”

“What is it?” Marinette asked.

He led her to where a few tables were set up, and pulled out a chair for her. “Might be easier if you sit.”

“Okay?” she replied, taking a seat. “You know, whatever you say, I’m still going to care about you. Even if you’re a serial cannibal or something.”

He laughed. “Trust me, it’s nothing that bad. It’s actually…you remember we got out of trouble on that beach, right?”

“Right.”

“Well, the reason we could do that was—I’m actually the Prince of Viedela.”

Marinette raised an eyebrow. “And I’m the queen of Iceland.”

“I’m serious,” he said with a charming smile. “Look up the royal family portrait.”

She pulled out her phone, a skeptical look on her face, and did a quick search. Her eyes widened suddenly, then darted from the phone to Adrien and back.

He just gave her a smile.

“You’re—holy shit,” she murmured. “ _Holy shit._ Why tell me _now_?”

“I—I have to leave for a while,” he said. “Royal duties. I need to go back home and handle some things…I didn’t want to go without telling you everything. I really do care about you, Marinette.”

“Wh-when will I see you again?” she asked.

Adrien’s face set into a determined expression. “As soon as I can get away.”

“When are you going?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

She smiled softly. “Then there’s enough time to spend tonight together. Want to go back to my room?”

“I’ll spend every moment with you that I can,” he replied with a grin.


	19. Morning After

Chloe awoke the next morning to realize—she was _not_ in her room.

Instead, she shared the bed with a very familiar redheaded man. She blearily blinked before lifting up the covers to confirm her suspicions.

“Holy shit I slept with my boss.”

**

Chloe headed out into the hallway after getting dressed, feeling dazed and hung over. Nathaniel hadn’t noticed her leaving.

“Hey!” a voice called. “Hey, you’re Max’s friend, right?”

“Yeah,” Chloe replied, turning to see a tall man running towards her. “Why?”

“I can’t find him,” the man replied. “I was hoping you could help me.”

“Okay,” she replied, “but who are you?”

“Oh, sorry!” he said. “My name’s Kim, I’ve been hanging out with Max a lot.”

“Well, let me just head back to my room and get changed first,” Chloe said.

Kim glanced at the room she’d come out of, then turned back to her with a sly grin.

“One word and I’m not helping you,” she growled.

**

When Chloe entered her room, she found a note slipped under the door.

_Chloe—Leaving the ship to do a fellowship at Yale. Marinette & Nino know too. Please tell Kim I’m sorry. Max._

“Oh,” Kim said, leaning against the hallway wall when Chloe handed him the note. “I guess he wasn’t having as much fun as I thought he was.”

“I’m—sorry,” Chloe said, clearly unsure on how to console a stranger. “Max…he’s always done what he thinks is the best or right thing to do, no matter what he wants. If he didn’t care about you, he wouldn’t have mentioned you at all. He doesn’t talk about his personal life to me like, _ever_.”

Kim grinned. “Well, I hope he comes back. This summer will suck without him.”

**

Marinette woke up alone in bed. She wasn’t in her room, not after spending the night with Adrien, but she had expected him to still be there.

She found a note on the dresser beside the bed.

_I’ll wait on the dock for you as long as I can. I love you. -A_

She got dressed and rushed off the ship, where she found Adrien standing beside an intimidating-looking man in a suit.

“Adrien!” she cried, running up to him.

“Marinette…” He smiled and opened his arms for her, letting her embrace him and rest her head against his chest.

“I don’t want you to leave,” she murmured. “I—spending time with you has been so amazing…”

He gripped her hand, gently kissing it. “I promise, I’ll come back. And—if it’s okay with you—I have a way to make that promise _permanent_ …”

The suited man beside him handed him a small box as Adrien got down on one knee.

“Marinette,” he said, “Will you—”

“Not likely,” another voice suddenly cut in. Marinette and Adrien turned to see Felix striding towards them, a smug smile on his face. “I mean, she’s already married to _me_.”

He unfolded a piece of paper with a flourish and handed it to Marinette. The writing was in Greek, but there was Felix’s name next to her own, unmistakable.

“But how…”

“Doesn’t matter,” Felix said. “Now, _wifey_ , let’s get that inheritance.”

Adrien stepped forward. “You can’t do this, you know. You can’t force her to marry you.”

His hands balled into fists, but the suited man suddenly placed his hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

Adrien sighed. “I—I have to go. But don’t give up, Marinette. I still love you. I want to marry you. I promise.”

Marinette leaned towards him, kissing him gently. “I love you too…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! For now, anyways...
> 
> I definitely plan on returning and doing the entire trilogy, but I need a break from this world for a bit. It will come back in the future!


End file.
